October 26 A READ JOHN 3–5
Ministry to Individuals by God’s Son
OVERVIEW
Today’s section centers around Jesus’ encounters with three individuals: Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman at the well, and the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. In each instance, Christ’s dealings with the individual have a far-reaching impact on others as well. His contact with the Samaritan woman (John 4) leads to the hearing and believing of Jesus’ message by many in the town of Sychar. The healing of the lame man (John 5) produces an angry confrontation with Jewish leaders intent on killing Jesus. Christ’s night visit from Nicodemus (John 3) provides the context for one of the most beloved verses in all of Scripture: John 3:16. “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. . . .”
MY DAILY WALK
Have you ever used a freeway on-ramp? Though the on-ramp is not technically part of the freeway itself, without it the freeway would be virtually useless. On-ramps get you onto the freeway. They provide access to the highway itself.
Now think of the gospel of Jesus Christ as a freeway. How are you at finding “on-ramps” to share that Good News with others? In each of the three chapters you will read today, Jesus uses an on-ramp to open a door of opportunity for his listener to hear and receive the gospel. Can you discover the on-ramps he used? Would one of them help you introduce a friend or coworker to Jesus today?
“GOD HAS SENT YOU TO TEACH US,” SAID NICODEMUS OF JESUS. JESUS WAS MORE—HE WAS GOD COME TO TEACH.
INSIGHT
Tracing the Roots of the Samaritans | John 4:4-5
The Samaritans were a mixed race of people (4:4-5) that came from the intermarriage of Jews with the pagan colonists the Assyrians used to repopulate the northern kingdom after its dispersal in 722 B.C. Racial discord ensued, causing the Samaritans to form their own national and religious identity, complete with their own holy mountain and sacred writings. Though Samaria was considered off-limits to devout Jews, Jesus and his disciples passed through it in order to keep a divine appointment.
INSIGHT
A Unique Claim | John 5:18
Jews did not have a problem with people addressing God as father. However, those in verse 5:18 who sought to kill Jesus knew he was saying something more, something radical. Jesus was somehow equating himself to the Father. Though not the Father, he, the Son, was also God. The doctrine of the Trinity is a formal expression of this profound mystery.
1There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
3Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,* you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
4“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.* 6Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.* 7So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You* must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
9“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
10Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man* has come down from heaven. 14And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.*
16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave* his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.*”
John the Baptist Exalts Jesus
22Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people.
23At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism. 24(This was before John was thrown into prison.) 25A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew* over ceremonial cleansing. 26So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.”
27John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. 28You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ 29It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. 30He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
31“He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else.* 32He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! 33Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. 34For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. 35The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. 36And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”